10.4 Economic and social changes in the late Anglo-Saxon period

Late Anglo-Saxon England saw major economic shifts. Towns grew from defensive burhs into trade hubs, connecting England to wider networks. Agriculture evolved with new farming techniques and changing land ownership patterns.

These changes reshaped society. Viking raids disrupted life but led to cultural mixing. The aristocracy gained power through land grants, while kings worked to maintain control. This period set the stage for post-Conquest developments.

Growth of Towns and Trade

Development of Towns from Burhs

Top images from around the web for Development of Towns from Burhs

• 

  Viking expansion - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  King Alfred's Burhs View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Viking invasion of Britain - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Viking expansion - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  King Alfred's Burhs View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Development of Towns from Burhs

• 

  Viking expansion - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  King Alfred's Burhs View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Viking invasion of Britain - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Viking expansion - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  King Alfred's Burhs View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• In the late Anglo-Saxon period (9th-11th centuries), England experienced significant growth in towns and trade
• Many towns developed from fortified centers called burhs established by Alfred the Great and his successors to defend against Viking raids
  • Over time, these burhs attracted tradesmen and craftsmen, becoming economic hubs
• Important trading towns included London, York, Winchester, Lincoln, Norwich, Ipswich and Thetford
  • These towns were often located on rivers or the coast, facilitating trade

Expansion of Trade Networks

• England traded both internally and with other regions, including Scandinavia, the Rhineland, France and the Mediterranean
  • Key exports included wool, cloth, hides, metal goods and slaves
  • Imports included luxury goods like silk, wine, glass and precious metals
• The growth of towns and trade was facilitated by several factors:
  • Relative political stability under later Anglo-Saxon kings
  • Minting of standardized silver coinage which aided commerce
  • Expansion of the road and river transport network
  • Development of markets and trading wharves in towns
• The revival of trade and urbanism in the late Anglo-Saxon period foreshadowed the more extensive economic growth that occurred after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century

Agricultural Changes and Land Ownership

Developments in Farming Practices

• The late Anglo-Saxon period saw the emergence of the open-field system of agriculture in many areas, particularly in the Midlands
  • In this system, arable land was divided into unenclosed strips that were farmed by peasant households
• Crop rotation practices became more sophisticated, with the three-field system becoming increasingly common
  • One field was planted with winter wheat, one with spring crops (barley or oats), and one left fallow each year, with the fields rotated annually
• The invention of the heavy wheeled plow in the late 10th century enabled cultivation of heavier clay soils, expanding the area of arable land
  • This plow required a team of oxen to pull it, encouraging communal plowing arrangements

Concentration of Land Ownership

• Land ownership became increasingly concentrated in the hands of the king, nobility and the church
  • The granting of large estates to the king's followers, a process known as "bookland," accelerated in this period
• Manorialism developed as a system of estate management
  • The lord's demesne (private lands) were cultivated by serfs who also worked on their own strips
  • Peasants owed labor services and rents to their lords
• Towns were often founded on agricultural estates, with the lord taking a share of the trade and tolls
  • Market grants from the king enabled many landowners to set up profitable town markets (Stamford, Bury St Edmunds)

Viking Raids and Settlements

Impacts of Viking Attacks

• Viking raids on England began in the late 8th century and intensified in the 9th
  • Monasteries (Lindisfarne) and towns were primary targets due to their wealth
• The "Great Heathen Army" of Vikings invaded England in 865, leading to the fall of all the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms except Wessex
  • The Danelaw was established in northern and eastern England, where Danish law and customs prevailed
• Destruction caused by Viking attacks disrupted trade, agriculture and religious life
  • Many monasteries were abandoned, towns were sacked (London), and coinage and crafts declined in quality

Integration and Revival

• Once settled, the Danes contributed to a revival of trade and urbanism
  • Towns like York and Lincoln flourished as Viking trading centers, and minting of coins resumed
• Interaction between Anglo-Saxons and Danes led to linguistic and cultural exchange
  • Many Old Norse words entered the English language (sky, window, husband)
  • Scandinavian art styles influenced Late Anglo-Saxon art (Ringerike style)
• The threat of Viking raids led to a strengthening of English kingship
  • Rulers like Alfred the Great organized defense and extracted greater service from their followers
  • This laid foundations for the growth of royal power in the 10th-11th centuries

Social Hierarchy and Aristocracy

Structure of Anglo-Saxon Society

• Anglo-Saxon society was hierarchical, with the king at the top, followed by the nobility (earls and thegns), clergy, and commoners (freemen and serfs)
• The aristocracy consisted of the king's leading followers, who were granted land in return for military service
  • The rank of earl (ealdorman) was the highest, governing large shires (Northumbria, Mercia)
  • Lesser thegns served as retainers to earls and the king

Power and Privileges of the Aristocracy

• Earls had significant autonomy in their territories
  • They controlled justice, minting and military forces
  • Powerful families often dominated earldoms for generations (Godwins in Wessex)
• The king relied on the aristocracy for military service, counsel and local administration
  • The witan, or king's council, was composed of leading nobles and clergy who advised the king and witnessed charters
• Aristocrats were expected to maintain a retinue of armed followers, the origins of the later Medieval feudal system
  • Status and wealth were closely tied to land ownership and the ability to attract followers

Growth of Aristocratic Power

• The late Anglo-Saxon period saw a growth in the power and landed wealth of the aristocracy, as successive kings granted more bookland
  • By 1066, a few leading families controlled much of England's land and exercised significant political power, a factor in the succession dispute after Edward the Confessor's death
• However, Anglo-Saxon kingship remained more centralized and powerful compared to its European counterparts
  • The aristocracy never developed into a fully independent feudal class as on the continent (France, Germany)